


Willow

by neosaiyanangel



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Autumn, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Nature, Trees
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27031240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neosaiyanangel/pseuds/neosaiyanangel
Summary: Larsa has a surprise for Gabranth.
Relationships: Gabranth | Noah fon Ronsenburg/Larsa Ferrinas Solidor
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: Shipoween 2020 - The Halloween Ship Exchange!





	Willow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Welsper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welsper/gifts).



“Gabranth!”

Gabranth snapped to attention from the book he was reading at the desk in his office. It was an interesting - if mostly false - historical description of the fall of his homeland. It made his resentment for his brother burn slightly hotter. He liked that sometimes; hate could be a powerful tool, and just because hostilities had lessened didn’t mean they were gone.

In front of him Emperor Larsa stood, looking impatient. “Gabranth. I have been calling your name for a  _ solid minute _ .” Looking less impatient and more mischievous, he noted, “I see you enjoy the book I picked out.”

“I do,” Gabranth confirmed as he set it down and stood.

As he rounded the desk, Larsa waved his hand to bid Gabranth to follow him. “I need to show you something.”

The Judge Magister blinked. What could Larsa need to show him that would require interrupting both of their days to do? While it was true they had an...informal relationship, it didn’t mean they got to shirk their duties at will.

His leige chuckled. “You’ll see what was so important when we get there.”

Gabranth thought for a second before privately sighing. It was clear Larsa had some kind of clever trick up his sleeve. The last time he got this way they’d somehow managed to sign a peace treaty with the entire Bangaa people. All of them. How, Gabranth still didn’t know.

His guard slightly raised at what kind of surprise Larsa might have planned, he obediently followed as Larsa led the way.

The walk to their destination was quiet. Normally Larsa would try to strike up a conversation on current events or what they should have for dinner. Today? Not so much. Larsa didn’t even try to keep pace with Gabranth as normal, instead seeming to enjoy leading him through the palace to-

“The arboretum?” Gabranth asked skeptically as they rounded through the Aero glyphs to the entrance to the gardens. It was the fall season at the moment; many of the trees were a variety of browns and oranges, the leaves just beginning to fall off and pile on the grasses beneath them. While there were dedicated gardeners, even they couldn’t keep up with the plethora of dead leaves.

“Oh yes!” Larsa said grandly, seeming to be bursting with excitement. He forgot decorum, rushing and grabbing Gabranth’s hand before pulling him farther in. The leaves under their feet crunched as he seemed to lead them somewhere specific. “You see, I happened to remember something. I remembered something, and something I’ve had in the works for a while finally bore fruit.”

“Oh? Did you finally convince the Dalmascan princess to sign a treaty?”

“What?” Larsa stopped full-tilt before shaking his head and resuming his walk. “Oh no. She doesn’t trust anything our treaty is written on. I could swear to all the gods in the mortal realm and place my life on the line and she still wouldn’t trust it. We are doomed to an eternal armistice.

“No, my dearest Judge. That isn’t it.”

Gabranth was focused on reading Larsa. There was something self-satisfied in his words. Like he’d done something sneakily grand. It was moments like these that Gabranth really felt the awe for his liege. Most wouldn’t understand; smugness wasn’t highly valued. But from Larsa? It wasn’t smug. It was just  _ right _ .

It was a good thing Gabranth was so intensely focused on Larsa as, again, he came to an abrupt stop. Gabranth stopped right in front of a smirking Larsa.

“You see, the thing I’ve been working on was a bit delicate physically. It took  _ several _ attempts before we had a viable specimen. But! We succeeded!” Larsa grandly waved his hands up and around them.

“What-” Gabranth stopped short as he realized the tree they were under...the leaves, white as snow...the trunk, veined with onyx...softly swaying vine-like branches…!

A Landon willow. An honest-to-goodness Landon willow. When had been the last time he’d seen one? From his childhood? It brought a pang to his chest as he thought on all his far-away wishes concerning the tree.

He turned back to Larsa. His heart fled his chest as he realized that Larsa was on a knee, hand holding out a silver ring for Gabranth to take.

“Gabranth. I value you over everything else. You are my faithful partner. You’ve stood by me through  _ everything _ . I love you for your loyalty and your dogged attempts to protect me in your own ways.” Larsa looked up at the tree. “I remembered, you’d once said half-asleep that you’d always wanted to be married under a willow from your homeland. It took some effort to get it here, but it’s my promise to you. My love, my will, my  _ everything _ lies with you. I want to make your dreams real just as you’ve made mine.” He turned back to meet Gabranth’s dazed gaze. “Will you marry me, Gabranth?”

Gabranth was  _ stunned _ . The problems Larsa must have had getting any Landis plant to take root, let alone a finicky Landon willow… All that effort, just for him? They were romantically entwined, but…

“I see I’ve taken your breath away,” Larsa quipped, a quirk in his lips. He stood and began to pull the ring away. “Take all the time you need to think-”

Gabranth quickly pulled Larsa’s hand back to him. “The ring. May I see it?”

“Of course you can! It’s  _ your _ ring,” Larsa noted as he solidly placed the ring into Gabranth’s hand.

Gabranth reverently held the ring up. It was a solid silver, with engravings of the coat-of-arms for both Landis and Archadia. Scattered about in finer details were small things that wouldn’t make sense to most. Stars, leaves, things of nature. Things that Gabranth loved.

He took his gauntlet off and slipped it on his finger. To his lack of surprise, it fit perfectly.

There was no choice in this matter. There was only one option, the best option.

Gabranth looked back at his liege. “I will marry you, Larsa.”


End file.
